Philadelphia district attorney sues Elon Musk over $US1m election giveaways

October 29, 2024 journo

Elon Musk is being sued by Philadelphia’s district attorney over his $US1 million ($1.5m) giveaways in support of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

It is the first legal action to be brought over the billionaire tech mogul’s America PAC and the sweepstakes offering $US1m every day until election day next week.

The office of Democratic District Attorney Larry Krasner said it was acting because it had the responsibility to protect the public from interference with the integrity of the election.

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“The Philadelphia District Attorney is charged with protecting the public from public nuisances and unfair trade practices, including illegal lotteries,” Mr Krasner’s office said in a statement published on its website.

A spokesperson for Mr Musk’s America PAC, who was emailed for comment, responded with a link to an X post, which showed the latest winner holding an oversized cheque.

Election law experts previously questioned whether the cheques could violate federal law, which bars anyone from paying a person to vote or register to vote.

However, the lawsuit makes clear that it is not about vote-buying. Instead, the district attorney says, the case centres on running a lottery.

“This case is very simple because America PAC and Musk are indisputably violating Pennsylvania’s statutory prohibitions against illegal lotteries and deceiving consumers,” the suit states.

Speaking in Delaware after casting his ballot on Monday, local time, President Joe Biden called the giveaway “totally inappropriate”.

But people attending Mr Musk’s events have a different view.

Michele Costantino, 64, a retired Pennsylvanian health care administrator, said she thought the giveaway was a “good idea”.

“I think he’s playing the same game as the other side,” she said outside a Musk rally on Saturday.

“If you need to flash some big money to get people’s attention, I think it’s a good idea.”

The giveaway requires entrants to sign a petition backing the First and Second Amendments of the Constitution and calls for them to serve as spokespeople for the organisation as a condition of winning.

Mr Musk has gone all in on Trump this election, saying he thinks civilisation is at stake if he loses.

He has committed more than $US70 million to the super PAC to help Trump and other Republicans win in November.

AP/ABC